Monday 1 April 2013

Dazzler

Have just returned from a grey day walk with the dogs. The puddles are still frozen much to Pixie's disconcertion. {She likes to have a quick bevvy on our way home.} The seedlings in the greenhouse are making their way back into the compost and the ducks have hidden their heads under their wings and are pressed up against the door hoping I'll let them in. They love being by the glass door - I think they can see a whole flock of other ducks looking just like them. Given the chance they'll come in the house and stare at themselves in the door of the washing machine. The dogs are very tolerant.

The Cosmos seedlings on the dining table haven't done anything apart from fall over but I thought a series of pink pictures might cheer us all up, starting with Dazzler. I'm going to stick this picture up in front of the seedlings to encourage them. If they know they're going to end up looking so glamourous they might get move on.

CosmosDazzler
So whilst we're on the pink path here are a few of my favourite pink plants I try and sneak into people's borders. I'm not such a revolutionary that I'd put them in the all blue, mauve and white borders though- so any prospective clients don't worry.
Cirsium atropurpureum

Dianthus carthusianorum

Polygonum bistorta


an unknown but delicious rose
 I adore the black poppies. This year I've sown some lilac fringed ones as well which I'll show you when they flower. For some reason I have to sow the seeds each year and find they don't self seed very successfully. They probably do in other people's gardens but perhaps the couch grass, ground elder and bindweed block out the light for them.
Papaver somniferum 'Black Peony"
 I don't know why exactly this foxglove became fasciated but it was an eerie sight in the garden. I know, I know I should have collected the seeds and started off a whole new strain of digitalis but just like pollinating those hellebores I just let it be. It was so weird I had to take a photograph of it in case when I came to describe it it would look as if I'd taken digitalis myself.
the fasciated foxglove
I love making summer posies, plundering the sweet peas, pelargoniums, and echinops heads and zinnias. When I come to sow the zinnias I'll post up some pics. I've found a great seed supplier in the USA for giant zinnia seeds(the seeds aren't giant- just the plants) that are not in mixed packets. Last year I grew Giant Wine. Giant Lilac, Giant Salmon Rose and a wonderful Lime Green. they are called Johnny's Seeds. But only worth getting if you have mates in the States who can send them as their postage and packing costs are exorbitant.

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